INLAND FISHERIES. 109 



" embalmed," or even preserved. The walls of tlie adominal 

 cavity, after the removal of the viscera, were simply washed with 

 a sponge that had been dipped in the solution. The success of 

 the experiment is of course largely dependent upon the imniediate 

 removal of the viscera after the capture of the fish ; the careful 

 liandling of the fish, both before and after evisceration ; the 

 thoroughness with which the walls of the abdomen are washed ; 

 and the care with which the fish are packed. The use of boric 

 acid will not prove satisfactory if fish are first thrown about, walked 

 upon, slovenly eviscerated, washed in the sterilizing fluid, and then 

 pitched into barrels. Those who prefer to abuse fish in this way 

 will do Avell to stand by the older and more expensive methods, 

 use ice, and complain of the market. 



Mr. Eugene G. Blackford, one of the largest wholesale dealers 

 in New York, has said, " As an example of the increased returns 

 to the shippers from careful handling, I call attention to the fact 

 that certain shipments of shad, going to the New York market 

 from North Carolina, bring from 25 per cent, to 40 per cent, more 

 than other shad from the same locality." 



" What I wish to impress upon the shippers and fishermen is, 

 that for every dollar invested in labor and ice in packing the fish 

 they will receive ten dollars in return." 



Twenty more experiments were made with the same solution. 

 Some of the animals were decapitated and others were not, but 

 the swim-bladders and kidneys were removed from all. If the 

 gills were thoroughly washed in the solution, it was found that 

 even fish with the head attached kept as well as those which 

 were decapitated. Nevertheless, in fish treated with boric acid, it 

 is in the gills that putrefaction first shows itself. 



A bushel basket full of squeteague prepared in this way was 

 put on the deck of the U. S. F. C. S. Grampus, on the morning of 

 August 12, where they remained exposed to the sun throughout 

 the day. The next morning, when they were cut up for bait, they 

 showed no sign of decomposition. On another trip, a catch of 

 tile-fish weighing 1,000 pounds was washed in the solution. The 



